The Faith to Persevere
by Oswald Chambers
Because you have kept My command to persevere… —Revelation 3:10
Greetings, friends,
Following is a devotional by Oswald Chambers on the intrinsic value of perseverance in our faith journey. May we truly find our resolve in trusting God fully - confident that He sees us, loves us beyond measure, and directs our lives for His glory and our good. When we embrace Him alone, His "no" is as beautiful as His "yes," for He never simply spends us at random. Rather, He invests us into life circumstances for our growth and His glory. Investments that bring dividends; sometimes now, always later. In this confidence, may we each press onward into Christ. -- Brett
I Bow Down
by Brett Barry
During our June corporate time of waiting in prayer, I heard a couple lines in my Spirit: "At the end is the beginning, at the beginning is the end." As I pondered these and asked the Lord about their meaning, the following poem unfolded:
Becoming Headstrong
by Brett Barry
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 7…always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth…— II Tim 3:1-7
I’ve always found it interesting that Paul is writing to Timothy about the church when he speaks of “…having a form of godliness but denying its power…always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” It sounds a bit extreme, after all, the church is full of people who are in the process of growing up in Christ.
Or is it? I mean, it should be, but is it really?
Liberty
by Paul Black
I hope that you had a wonderful July 4th yesterday. Cheryl and I have been like “busy bees” getting her Mom settled in her new “independent living” facility here in Lakeland, Fla. We so appreciate your love and prayers during this season. After a hard day of working, we ordered some “Kentucky Fried Chicken” (what’s more American than that?) and watched the fireworks from Washington DC.
I’ve been pondering this thing we call “Liberty” actually for the last several days. Good ‘ol Webster defines it in two ways:
Sharing Your Faith
by Brett Barry
Philemon 1:6: I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ (NIV)
The other day I had one of “those mornings”, exceedingly tough. The culmination of a number of pressing things required some pretty focused wrestling to overcome a rather intense heaviness.
Seven, Seven
by Brett Barry
We’d like to express a deep “Thank you!” for participating in the seven days of prayer and fasting, and the seven mile prayer walk The Lord called Cornerstone to a few weeks ago (whether you were actually walking or prayerfully supporting from elsewhere).
As you know, the key to advancement (growth), whether individually or corporately, is setting our hearts and minds toward...
Your Will Be Done
by Brett barry
“Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet, not My will, but Yours be done.” Luke 22:42
...I was stunned and felt strangely detached as Jim said a few more things about how, though he doesn’t completely agree with all her perspectives, he does understand why Karen would want a divorce. My mind raced. The news was so surreal...
Freedom Within Difficulty
by Brett Barry
I heard the Lord say, “There is a vast difference between freedom from difficulty and freedom within it.”
The Way of Escape
I don’t know about you, but during seasons of difficulty I have found myself running full speed in the darkness, crying out to God to deliver me “from” my situation, rather than inviting Him into it.
The Fulcrum
by Brett Barry
Wow, we had an incredible worship service last Sunday with David Wagner and Josh, hope you were able to attend. I particularly appreciated the way David promoted God’s authority, compassion and faithfulness in revealing our identity as sons in Christ, layered nicely between vulnerability and sincerity. (It was like a hope sandwich!) Overall, they spent several hours lifting up the truth of who Jesus is, and, thus, who we are in Him as disciples of Christ. God was glorified, the body was built up.
Win. Win.
Gratitude: His Light In Our Darkness
by Brett Barry
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. Isaiah 9:2
We just spent a week with my parents around the Thanksgiving holidays. It was a real treat, as they are indeed the best of friends and it’s been a coupe years since we were able to see them in person.
I love our visits. They’re always a wonderful time of fellowship filled with laughter, life stories, childhood stories, long and meaningful talks about God, faith and things that count (both for now and eternity), and food…lots of food.
What's In A Name
by Paul Black
In William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet, a phrase is used that has been used many times in many different circumstances throughout history. It’s the phrase “What’s in a name?” You'd better believe your name is important, especially when one is opening a gift.
Our Identity In Christ
by Brett Barry
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" II Cor 5:17
Dear Ambassadors of Christ,
I asked the Lord what would encourage His body today. He said, “Remind them of Who they are in Me.”
So here are a few thoughts.
First, you may have noticed that I capitalized “Who” in reference to our identity. While this is a topic of some debate, as believers wrestle with whether we're sinners saved by grace or saints who are now at war against sin (hint: the answer is, YES!), the distinction is important because there are two parts to that sentence: “who they are” and “in Me.”
Worship Is Longing
by Brett Barry
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me, and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. PS 139:23-24
"Father, God, what's at the depths of Your heart today?"
I ask Him this question often. Sometimes daily. Sometimes moment-by-moment, even though I know the answer – because it’s always the same.
Yes, I can hear it, “If I already know what he’s going to say, why ask?”
The Pillar of Fire
by Eric W. Lucas
25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven 26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven 27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: 29 For our God is a consuming fire. (KJV Heb 12:25-29)
Recently in a message entitled “The Full Price,” I spoke about the “answer by fire” that fell upon David’s altar at the threshing floor of Ornan (1 Chr. 21:26). I posed the question, “where is heaven’s answer by fire upon the altars of today’s church?” My point was that heaven’s fire falls upon the altar that is built upon the grounds of “full price.”
Turn This Ship Around
by Brett Barry
Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. James 3:4
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called not only to grow up in our faith, but to mature into the fullness of His example as son of the living God. While much about His life was certainly profound, His example was the fruit of a very practical truth: Because Jesus loved God more than anything, He sought to please Him with every thought and every action.
Life and Death and the Tongue
by Brett Barry
The tongue has the power of life and death…Prov 18:21
I had a dream in the wee hours of early morning the other day about the power of our words and woke up hearing the phrase in my spirit, “And God saw that it was good.” View Post
The Great Escape
by Brett Barry
Hebrews 12:1-2 “And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”
Ok.
I was heading in a very clear direction with today’s devotional. Everything was progressing nicely, as I was sensing the Lord’s quickening and my thoughts were clear. Then, about three quarters of the way through, it happened. View Post
Pokemon Madness
by Paul Black
On Sunday Cheryl and I mentioned the rising phenomenon of "Pokemon" and our concern regarding its impact on this present generation of youth. Our concern has been met with mixed reaction, ranging from those receiving the warning and removing the app from their cell phones to others saying "I don't see what the big deal is." Please understand that our desire is not to shame anyone but only to bring attention to something that might keep us from becoming all that God has called us to be in Him. I appreciate the fact that some feel the freedom to disagree and question what is spoken of at church. When that happens, we become iron sharpening iron and I am never threatened or bothered by questions. In fact, I think that speaks of health in a church. My motivation is simply the responsibility I feel before the Lord as outlined in Hebrews 13:17 (NASB)
"Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you." View Post
Being Led by the Spirit
by Paul Black
What does to mean to be “led” by the Holy Spirit? If I'm honest with myself, in my daily life I tend to think that being led by the Spirit is when He leads me into a “divine appointment” of some kind, but then for the rest of the day I’m in complete control. However, I really don’t believe that we as followers of Christ have even scratched the surface of what being “led by the Spirit” actually means. The Apostle Paul wrote this verse in Romans 8:14 (NASB)
“For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God” View Post
